Holyrood Salford Royal

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children thrive in this bright and well-organised setting. They build positive relationships with staff, who are calm and nurturing. Staff have high expectations for children's progress and work tirelessly to meet their individual needs. The key-person system is embedded well. This helps staff to get to know children well and support them to understand their emotions. These bonds help children to feel safe and secure.

Leaders have envisioned an ambitious and holistic curriculum for children. They have developed the curriculum to cover areas they think children need to learn to be 'ready for life'. Staff weave learning opportunities into the daily routines in all rooms. This helps to ensure that children of all ages embed their skills across all areas of learning.

Staff provide children with plenty of opportunities for outdoor play. Children demonstrate good physical dexterity and listen well to staff's instructions as they complete their 'daily mile'. They run freely around the secure outdoor area, racing each other to see who can gather the largest twigs to make dens. Staff teach children to take appropriate risks and challenges as they play. This builds children's confidence and resilience and gives them a sense of achievement when they succeed. Children delight in creating an obstacle course and smile with pride as they receive praise from staff for their efforts. They develop highly positive attitudes to their learning.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

• Leaders are committed to providing a high standard of care and education for children. They act with integrity in using the funding children receive to ensure that it best meets their individual needs. Leaders are passionate and committed to their roles and driven to make continuous improvements.
• Leaders forge strong relationships with parents, carers and external professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff provide children with SEND with tailored support and detailed individual plans. This supportive and collaborative approach helps children to make good progress.
• Children who speak English as an additional language progress well. Staff liaise with parents and learn words in their home languages to help children to develop a good grasp of English. This two-way flow of information helps to strengthen partnerships and supports children to learn new words.
• Leaders strive to offer parents an abundance of information to create a greater awareness, such as information on the dangers of small batteries as a choking hazard. They cover topics such as oral health in detail. Leaders recognise the local concerns and invite dental practitioners to the setting to share information with children and families. Children brush their teeth at the setting, and each child is sent home with a toothbrushing pack and information on how to secure a dentist. This supports children's oral health and embeds healthy habits.
• Children demonstrate a secure knowledge of the daily routine. For instance, during a well-organised lunchtime, children line up to wash their hands and sit politely at the table. They self-serve their pasta and pour their own water. Staff teach children about healthy eating habits. Children become increasingly independent in managing their personal needs.
• All staff are nurturing, use good facial expressions and are receptive to children's needs. However, they do not always use a consistent style of questioning that allows children to form a well-thought-out response. Also, some staff do not understand the reasons why they are carrying out certain activities. This does not help children to develop their thinking skills and vocabulary, and also support the successful implementation of the curriculum.
• Parent partnerships are highly effective. Staff strengthen the two-way flow of information between home using an app, as well as by providing daily feedback. Parents speak highly of the setting and comment on the flexibility and support they receive. For instance, staff provide thorough settling-in sessions and 'take-home bags' for babies, which cover early communication and how to further support this at home. This helps to meet children's and their families' needs.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support staff to strengthen their interactions with children and understand how to implement and embed the curriculum more consistently.